Sherwood delivers Levy a list

Tim Sherwood has already begun planning for next season as he continues to ignore mounting speculation over his Tottenham future.

Sherwood claimed he had given Spurs chairman Daniel Levy a list of summer transfer targets despite things recently going awry on the field after a bright start to his White Hart Lane tenure.

The former midfielder was named Andre Villas-Boas' successor in December and signed an 18-month deal as head coach but rumours are rife that Louis van Gaal, who is leaving his Holland post after the World Cup, will be appointed in Sherwood's place in the summer.

"I've given him (Levy) a list of players of who I want for next year," Sherwood said. "You need to start looking, this is the time. The chairman's got a list of the players who I would like.

"There is a list of players and if you get one you don't need to get the other. There are four or five are on there."

Sherwood strongly suggested those players have Premier League experience and he sees such additions as key to blooding in Spurs' young talent, who he knows well having formerly been the north London club's technical co-ordinator.

"I still believe you haven't seen a few of the young players we have," he said.

"No one's seen them on the stage yet because it's not been the right time to bring them in. Perhaps they're not here, they might be on loan elsewhere.

"They can only be as good as the experienced players around them because they will nurture them and bring them on.

"I always say I'd never let my kids get babysat by someone who is going to teach them bad things. That's exactly the same on the football field.

"You've got to put them in with the right characters and the experienced players who want to give them boys the time to help them come on. That's what I'll be looking to do."

Sherwood stayed coy when asked whether he would look to buy back Steven Caulker from Cardiff after Spurs sold the England international last summer.

But he was more forthcoming when it came to Tom Carroll and Jake Livermore, whose loan deals at QPR and Hull respectively end in the summer.

"They're both good players," Sherwood said. "Jake's had a good season at Hull and Tom Carroll is certainly one who will come back into the squad next season because he's good enough for Tottenham."